The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has recovered over N500 billion belonging to the federation from some institutions.
This was disclosed by RMAFC chairman, Alh Mohammed Bello during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Finance chaired by Hon. James Faleke.
Mohammed Bello said the sum of N14 billion was recovered between 2008 and 2012 through the assistance of forensic experts engaged by the commission.
“The commission also recovered the sum of N60.981 billion between 2012 and 2015.
‘In addition, over N312 billion was recovered between 2016 and 2019 while the payment was made in 2022 fiscal year’, he disclosed.
The RMAFC chairman revealed that the commission recovered the sum of N98 billion in September 2023 from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and remitted the same to the treasury.
Also, the sum of N79.102 billion was recovered from federal and 8 state ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
Speaking further, he informed that the commission is currently expanding its operations to 17 states of the Federation.
He further noted that there are states that are owing up to N30 billion while some are not owing the Federation.
He also informed the committee of the commission’s exploit through the recovery of the sum of N474 million and N199 million excise duties from two companies operating in the South West region of the country. The recovery was from January 2020 to December 2021 and 2022.
But with the intensive effort of the Commission, the solid mineral component of the Federation Account, which was opened in November 2011 led to the approval of a 13 percent derivative fund for States and Local Government Areas and shared according to the formula adopted.
According to him, states and local government areas are meant to benefit from 30 percent of the fund.
He disclosed that the commission also secured approval for a 10 per cent monthly payment from the Natural Resources Development Fund of which 1.68 per cent is deducted and kept aside.
He disclosed that the immediate past President approved the sum of N30 billion for the Natural Resources Development Fund, which will help the development of the sector.
While reacting to the proposed review of salaries of RMAFC commissioners, Hon. Faleke who kicked against the financial burden solely borne by the federal government, argued that the salaries of all the commissioners should be borne by the Federation Account.
Faleke who expressed displeasure over the level of impunity in the management of public funds, alleged that most of the erring Institutions indicted for financial impropriety, end up using public funds to pay back the unremitted.
He said: “As far as this committee is concerned all those things you read out are no news. All those figures you read out are mere figures. You have no data whatsoever to support it.”
To this end, he directed the RMAFC Chairman to provide a comprehensive report of all the Agencies from which the unremitted revenues were recovered.
Adding that: “If you say in 2008 and 2012 you recovered N14 billion, from where? Which agency paid, how, individual? We need a comprehensive list.
“For you to get back to an agency and say you are owing us $10 or N10 million and then being able to pay back from where do they get it? When you accuse them it means, they have spent that money.
“So, for them to pay back they also use
government money to pay you back. So, you’ll give details of these recoveries, the N16.9 billion, your 312 billion, your 98 billion, $21.48 million, and 21.9 billion, we need more details,” Hon. Faleke noted.
